Zoot's Muppet Show endings

Possibly one of the most famous moments of the Muppet Show theme song, it was created due to the need by the original British producer, Associated TeleVision, to broadcast its logo at the beginning and end of every show in order to identify its programming from other programming on Independent Television in the United Kingdom (which it shared with other local companies). The final shot always consisted of Zoot playing a low blast on his saxophone as the ATV logo emerged from his saxophone. Outside the UK, distributor ITC Entertainment (part of the same company as ATV) would use its logo, with only the first season internationally acknowledging both, with the orchestra shot for ATV and Zoot for ITC. After Jim Henson Productions acquired full rights to The Muppet Show, the Zoot shot would remain but adjusted, either adjusting the Zoot shot or using a new shot altogether with the logo of the time. (Sometimes Zoot's shots would be replaced with the Jim Henson Company logo instead.)

Image	As seen in	Year	Notes
	The Muppet Show Season 1	1976-1977	The original international version with the ITC logo in the center. With ATV acknowledged in the orchestra shot, a "for" was attached to the ITC part, with ATV controlling production and ITC distribution. After Zoot plays the note, the screen fades to black with the ITC logo stll showing for a few seconds. In the pilot version of the Juliet Prowse episode, the ending lacks the fade-to-black effect. A german version of this shot had the ZDF logo over a black background. Surprisingly, the english version remains intact on disc one and the Peter Ustinov episode on disc four of the german DVD release of Season One.
	The Muppet Show Season 2	1977-1978	This season features a new ITC shot, stating the show as "From" them and as ITC as "An ATV Company", with no further ATV logo in the orchestra shot. On episode 221, the ITC logo is also superimposed over the orchestra shot. Also, starting with this ending, the entire screen fades to black after Zoot plays the note, without the ITC logo still showing.
	The Muppet Show Seasons 1-2	1976-1978	ATV UK Version
	The Muppet Show Seasons 3-5	1978-1979	New shot featuring a blue Zoot puppet. This shot was also used on fifth season episodes, instead of a different shot with the new Zoot puppet. On episode 302, the ITC logo is also superimposed over the orchestra shot.
	The Muppet Show Seasons 3-5	1978-1981	ATV UK Version
	The Muppet Show	Mid-1980s	The popular 1980s ending, featuring Zoot playing the note, then looking startled as the Henson Associates logo plastered on a spinning white bubble flew out of the sax. The bubble then disappeared and the logo made its way onto the center of the screen, with addition from the audience's applause. There were several different takes of this ending. For example, "Ha!" was sometimes replaced with "HIT!" (Henson International Television). Also, during reruns of first and second season episodes, Zoot was seen without his hat. However, all versions used the same Zoot puppet. Although this ending is very common, it remains one of the rarest. It's most likely still be found at the end of several Muppet Show episodes that are viewed at the Paley Center for Media.
	Video compilations of The Muppet Show from Playhouse Video	1985	Unlike the other ending shots, this one uses the Zoot and Rowlf shot from the Season 5 opening with a copyright notice at the bottom.
File:ZootSaxViolence1993.png File:ZootSaxViolenceVeryBestofMuppetShowUKEnding.jpg	The Muppet Show	1990s	The Sax and Violence ending, featuring a shot of Zoot playing the note, then nodding twice as seen in the number from Episode 102: Connie Stevens. Outside a copyright prior to the Jim Henson Productions logo, no other logos are used in this version. This ending is one of the most common of the previous endings, and was also used after the ending credits of the It's the Muppets VHS releases, reruns of The Muppet Show on Nickelodeon and The Very Best of the Muppet Show DVD volumes in the UK. (On some reruns, the audience can be heard applauding, like the previous logo.) A version without the copyright stamp also exists at the end of the Harry Belafonte episode on the third volume of the Best of the Muppet Show VHS and DVD series. The copyright in the broadcast is the year which the episode was made (1976 for a season 1 episode, for example), while the video versions used the year of that media's release.
File:ZootCrazyHarryGermanEndingShot.jpg	Die Muppet Show (Germany)		For some reruns of the German co-production, the orchestra shot with the ATV logo (without the copyright on the bottom) is shown, followed by the Zoot and Crazy Harry shot from the Season 1 opening.
	Best of the Muppet Show	2002	A take from the 1980s ending without the bubble. In this version, we fade out after Zoot looks into his saxophone. This was shown at the end of the first two episodes, after a closing shot of the orchestra from the first season's closing. On volume 3, at the end of episode 314, it was replaced with the Sax & Violence closing shot, due to the episode having an alternate ending. On volume 1, we fade out earlier, right after Zoot plays the note.
File:ZootLLCS3.jpg	The Muppet Show: Season One - Season Three	2005-2008	This version features the 1980s shot with the Muppets Holding Company LLC at the bottom of the screen. As we fade out, the LLC is still shown for about 2 or 3 seconds before it disappears. Although the first two box sets featured a shot of a hatless Zoot, it was also shown on the Season Three DVD at the end of episodes 303, 304, 305, 309, and 312, while the rest of the episodes carried a shot of Zoot with his hat. This shot also plastered the "alternate" shots on episodes 308, 314, and 321, making the endings somewhat confusing.

Alternate Endings

Image	As seen in	Year	Notes
	The Muppet Show Episode 123	1976	The original ending shot for the Kaye Ballard episode. In this version, Rowlf plays the final piano chord and looks at the camera nervously, while Nigel bows.
	The Muppet Show Episode 123	1976	The replacement ending shot for the Kaye Ballard episode. In this version, the band is shown backstage with Kermit sitting on the railway, waving.
	The Muppet Show Episode 308	1978	The original railroad ending shot with Zoot playing off-key from the Loretta Lynn episode.
	The Muppet Show Episode 321: Roger Miller	1978	Like the pilot version of the Juliet Prowse episode, this original alternate ITC ending shot cuts to black right after Zoot (as a chicken) plays the note.